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Why is it that those elements which most oftenforce a society to look at itself are also those whichare given the least priority? Why do DRI, thatparagon of technology, and the less-than-madscientist of Boettcher, occupy the newest and mostspacious government granted buildings, while thearts, builders of consciousness, occupy less thanfunctional ruins? Are our values such that wecannot bear to give ourselves that newly polishedmirror of introspection that we so desperatelyneed?This is not to say that the arts don't do well withwhat they have. Quite the contrary. They domagnificently. Perhaps it is the artist's fate to sufferthe slings and arrows of outrageous financing.The theatre is one of these victims of misdirectedattention. Its innovations, originality, and continualsuccess are a credit to its persistence to presentmeaningful and entertaining works.This year the University Theatre has presented fivepieces and one opera, and has three plays plannedfor production this summer. They have concentratedprimarily on classic presentations, which are generallythe most difficult to perform. In addition, theChildren's Theatre appeared two weekends eachquarter and performed on tour throughout the area.The introduction of a series called the "SecondSeason" also took place this year. It is composed ofinnovative plays directed by doctoral students, whichplace emphasis on acting and directing, withminimal technical support.One of the brighter prospects for the theatredepartment is a Rockefeller Foundation grant whichwill finance separate productions from Master ofFine Arts Students. This company, in addition to itsregular performances, will present a professionalproduction in a Denver theatre and tour throughoutthe Rocky Mountain area. In spite of its newprograms, however, the Theatre Department hasbeen forced to curtail many of its plans for thefuture. It must turn away students who want to enterthe school, because of space and financial difficulties.According to Dr. Russell Porter, theatre chairman,"Arts are in bad shape physically. We need plannedfacilities desperately. We need resources to carryon our programs."221